News Wire | June 2023 Archive

South Africa Grants Putin and BRICS Leaders Diplomatic Immunity for Summit

By Patrick Wintour | The Guardian

South Africa has issued blanket diplomatic immunity to all leaders attending an August summit, meaning Vladimir Putin might be able to travel to Johannesburg and not fear the country acting on an international criminal court warrant for his arrest.

Violent Clashes Trigger Fears of New War in Europe

By Bojan Pancevski | The Wall Street Journal (free)

U.S. and European diplomats are rushing to contain spiraling violence at the heart of Europe and prevent a fresh conflict on a continent shaken by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Brazil’s Congress Weakens Pro-Environment Ministries in a Rejection of Lula

By Fabiano Maisonnave | Associated Press (free)

 Brazil’s Congress has stripped powers away from the country’s new Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, both led by women environmentalists. It’s a rejection of the priorities of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who took office in January,

More from WPR: In Brazil, Lula’s Green Agenda Is Putting Him in a Political Bind

Ukraine Says it Downed 36 Russian Missiles and Drones

By Pavel Polityuk | Reuters (registration required)

Ukrainian forces in Kyiv said on Friday they shot down 36 Russian missiles and drones in and around the capital overnight, with two people injured by falling debris before authorities lifted air raid alerts across most of the country.

Protests Erupt in Senegal After Opposition Leader Is Sentenced to Prison

By Elian Peltier | The New York Times

A court in Senegal sentenced the country’s leading opposition figure to two years in prison on Thursday after finding him guilty of “corrupting youth,” prompting scores of protesters to take to the streets, and clash with security forces throughout the country.

More from WPR: Senegal’s Democratic Credentials Have Taken a Beating Under Macky Sall

Jordan’s Crown Prince Weds Scion of Saudi Family in Ceremony Packed With Stars and Symbolism

By Isabel Debre | Associated Press (free)

The celebrations hold deep significance for the region, emphasizing continuity in an Arab state prized for its longstanding stability and refreshing the monarchy’s image after a palace feud. It even could help resource-poor Jordan forge a strategic bond with its oil-rich neighbor, Saudi Arabia.

China Ukraine Envoy Urges Governments to ‘Stop Sending Weapons to the Battlefield,’ Negotiate Peace

Associated Press

China’s Ukraine envoy appealed Friday to other governments to “stop sending weapons to the battlefield” and hold peace talks but gave no indication that his trip to the region made any progress toward a settlement.

More from WPR: For Xi and China, Putin’s War Is a Geopolitical Minefield

Beijing Calls on Arm to Intensify Chip Cooperation With Chinese Companies

By Ryan McMorrow | Financial Times

Arm provides the core designs for the bulk of processors made by the world’s chipmakers. Any moves to restrict China’s access to them could severely handicap its industry and further push out President Xi Jinping’s goal of semiconductor self-sufficiency.

More from WPR: The U.S. Can’t Win the Battle Over Semiconductors Alone

US House Passes Debt Ceiling Bill in Crucial Step to Avert Historic Default

By Lauren Fedor | Financial Times (free)

The House of Representatives has passed a bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, a victory for Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy that brings Washington closer to averting a historic default.

NATO Squabbles Over Speedy Accession of Ukraine as Decisive Summit Looms

By Sabine Siebold and Gwladys Fouche | Reuters (registration required)

Moscow cannot stop Ukraine from becoming a NATO member, the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, as divisions among allies about the speed of Kyiv's accession became apparent only weeks before a decisive mid-July summit in Vilnius.

Chile Closes State Copper Smelter That Polluted Bay for Decades

By Eva Vergara | Associated Press (free)

Chile’s state-owned copper mining giant Codelco on Wednesday shut down its Ventanas copper smelter after decades of polluting Quintero Bay with toxic gases and turning it, along with 15 other companies, into what environmentalists called a “sacrifice zone.”

More from WPR: ‘Green Jobs’ Alone Are No Magic Bullet for Chile’s Informal Economy

European Summit in Moldova Tackles Ukraine War, Regional Conflicts

By Justin Spike | Associated Press (free)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took his quest for more arms and support to a sprawling summit of some 50 European leaders in Moldova on Thursday, becoming the focal point of an event that seeks to quell regional conflicts and shore up unity in the face of Russia’s war.

Nigeria President’s Move to End Petrol Subsidies Sparks Chaos

By Aanu Adeoye | Financial Times

A proposal by Nigeria’s new president to remove costly fuel subsidies has sparked a rush to snap up cheap petrol and led to long queues outside gas stations across Africa’s most populous country.

More from WPR: For Nigeria, Spiking Global Oil Prices Are More Headache Than Windfall

As Iran Seizes Tankers in Gulf, U.A.E. Pulls Back From U.S.-Led Maritime Force

By Vivian Nereim | The New York Times

The United Arab Emirates announced on Wednesday that it had stopped participating in a maritime security force led by the United States, the latest hint of tensions between Washington and key Persian Gulf allies who complain that America has not done enough to protect them from Iranian threats.

More from WPR: Iran and Saudi Arabia Battle for Supremacy in the Middle East

China, India Kick Out Nearly All of Each Other’s Journalists as Rivalry Escalates

By Yan Zhuang | The Wall Street Journal (free)

India and China have ejected each other’s journalists in recent weeks, virtually wiping out mutual media access and deepening a rift between the world’s two most populous nations.

More from WPR: Two Years After Border Clashes, India Still Lacks a Coherent China Policy